Texarkana College Board Approves Capital Improvement Plan

The Texarkana College Board of Trustees met this week and focused on improvements.

Trustees approved a capital improvement plan and considered a proposal for continued updates. T.C. President James Henry Russell said over the past 6 years, the College has addressed critical capital improvement needs resulting from years of deferred maintenance, but there are still more improvements required.

"Although T.C. has taken big steps to catch up on necessary updates, it is imperative to continue improvements to ensure the campus remains a safe and secure site for our students and community,” said Russell.

Russell said the plan is to address a portion of the capital improvements every year and factor expenditures into the College’s annual budget. Several projects need immediate attention, he said, including a new building to house TC’s Construction Technology program, currently located on the grounds of Texas High School.

“To accommodate growth within their district, TISD needs to reclaim the use of the property we are occupying for our Construction Technology program,” Russell said. “We have to decide on a new location for our program and take swift action to prepare for Fall 2018. After careful consideration and a thorough cost analysis, we recommend moving the program to the main TC campus and building a new structure to house it with several existing workforce programs needing room for expansion.”

Russell said the new structure will accommodate the Construction Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Electronics and Electrical Technology programs. Other future improvements would include a major parking lot upgrade, updates to campus infrastructure allowing greater accessibility for students and guests, replacement of outdated desks and fixtures in classrooms and labs, and continued replacement of aging HVAC systems around campus.

“Although capital improvements have significant costs, the majority of the improvements will be capitalized so the net effect on the budget is minimized,” said Russell. “It is a priority for us to strive to meet the goals within our strategic plan of providing excellence in facilities, grounds, and a safe and secure learning environment for students and the community.”